Green Mountain Boys
who were present in Bennington was bitter indeed. Cochran, and such
reckless spirits, were for retaliating with fire and bullet on the New
York border. Nevertheless Warner and other more moderate men counseled
forbearance.

"We overawed the sheriff's army last year, it is true. But at that time
we had given the people of New York no reasonable excuse for attacking
us," declared Warner. "We've beech-sealed more than one surveyor and
warned New York settlers off the farms they had stolen since then. We've
been obliged to use force and now force will be used against us. But I
find that many of these New York settlers have been brought here under a
misapprehension. They did not understand the controversy before they got
the farms, and believed that the land-grabbers really owned the property
of which they are in possession. To visit our righteous wrath upon
helpless women and children will not help the cause of the Grants."

Many of his hearers, however, were not convinced. "'Member Baker's been
beaten and his wife and boy ill-treated. What are we going to do about
it?" was the demand.

"Complaint has already been made to Governor Tryon of New York, and John
Munro may be punished by his own side for what he did the other night."

"And there's 'Member's gun," spoke up another ill-affected partisan.
"Munro stole it and has got it to his house. I'm told so by a neighbor
of his. 'Member thinks a deal of that gun."

"I'll get that," said Warner, quickly. "'Member shall have his property
back before next training day."

And with that promise the disaffected spirits were satisfied for the
time being. When Enoch rode away from Bennington on his return home that
afternoon, the Connecticut giant overtook him on the road. Warner was a
fine-looking man, younger even than Ethan Allen and idolized by the
women and children of the community as Allen was by the men. But there
was nothing effeminate about Warner. He was of the better class of
borderers, possessing more education than most of his neighbors and with
that measure of refinement and cultivation which placed George
Washington above the majority of his associates. Warner had no patrician
bearing, however, but entered into the work, sports and pursuits of his
fellows. He was a superb horseman and rode on this day a mount which the
governor of New York himself might covet.

Enoch Harding had grown used, by this time, to seeing these prominent
leaders of t